UK's pick of the policy news

Now Ingenious Britain: Making the UK the leading high tech exporter in Europe (A report by James Dyson – PDF: 654KB) Entrepreneur Sir James Dyson has made his recommendations to the Conservative task force on boosting high tech innovation. Dyson believes that a cultural change is needed to develop high esteem for science and engineering, which can be achieved by a major national prize scheme. The report states that changes at university level are also necessary to encourage more young people to choose science and engineering degrees. Other proposals include new ways of promoting collaboration through public-private research institutes and improved financing for high tech start ups. Is business ready for an ageing nation? Economic opportunities and challenges of ageing (BIS – PDF: 494 Kb) The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has published a paper discussing how an ageing population will affect the economy. This global demographic trend is expected to lead to new consumption patterns, which will present challenges but also business opportunities to UK companies in sectors such as health and recreation. The paper agues that an ageing workforce will necessitate an increased participation in employment and self-employment amongst older people as well as investment in skills through lifelong learning. Future Teacher Training in Vocational Education (UK Skills Commission – PDF: 930 KB) The UK Skills Commission has published a report examining whether teachers are being trained with the skills to deliver the emerging vocational curricula at the heart of 14-19 education. The report claims that the current system is biased towards academic education and fails to recognise the crucial role of vocational education. It makes several recommendations including the introduction of a ‘universal Qualified Teacher Status’ for all teachers across 14-19 education and the development of an incentives scheme to help employers provide placement schemes for teachers of vocational education. Reducing the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training: what works and why (OFSTED – PDF: 364 KB) Ofsted has published the results of research examining the key factors that have contributed to reducing the proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training in 12 local authority areas. These factors included strong local leadership and increased involvement of young people and employers in developing local strategies and programmes. However, the report noted that even in relatively successful areas, there is still a shortage of vocational learning and employment opportunities for young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities after the age of 16.

Local The Mutuals Manifesto 2010 (Mutuo – PDF: 1.92MB) The mutual sector has called for putting people at the heart of business and society in a new Mutuals Manifesto. Published by Mutuo in partnership with Co-operatives UK, the Manifesto asks all political parties to focus on co-operation as a major force in addressing issues ranging from economic renewal to fairness in society. It calls for a clear policy framework for the delivery of public services by co-operatives, a greater user control of energy markets through co-operatives, and promoting community ownership of broadband projects in rural communities. News The 2010 Budget contained a range of announcements relevant to entrepreneurs and SMEs, including creating a new statutory Small Business Credit Adjudicator launching a University Enterprise Capital Fund and plans to extend enterprise education into primary schools and Further Education colleges. Enterprise UK has prepared a briefing paper, which is available on our website. In a document entitled Best of British: How the UK is securing global advantage in the technologies and sectors of the future to ensure growth and jobs, the Government lists sectors of the economy that represent ‘the best of British talent and innovation’ and therefore are ‘fantastic investment opportunities’. These sectors include digital communications and services, creative industries, life sciences, low carbon transport and energy, and space. New guidance has been published to help bosses to effectively engage their employees, which can lead to increased productivity, innovation and competitiveness, as well as lower sickness and absence rates. The package of advice was developed with input from a range of employee engagement practitioners and business leaders, including Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King, United Utilities Chief Executive Philip Green and Richard Lambert, Director General of the CBI. A survey commissioned by the Government Equalities Office for International Women’s Day has shown that 60 percent of people think there are not enough female directors in big businesses. It is estimated that it will take 60 years for women to gain equal representation on the boards of the top 100 companies at the current rate of progress. The Government has responded by asking the Financial Reporting Council to consider including a new principle in its code of conduct to require firms to report on what they are doing to increase the number of women in senior management positions.